Illegal Drug Use, should illegal drugs be made legal

[said]

In the USA - some states have legalised the use of certain drugs. Canada is in the progress of making that decision at this present time. Should the UK legalise such drugs?

Both the Guardian and the BBC have stated that Marijuana has far stronger effects than cigarettes. But the Medical Examiner says that comparisons between the effect of different drugs on various people has not yet been determined since people use drugs with varying degrees and cocktails. What is known is that young people do experience more side effects such as lack of concentration, inability to undertake tasks logically and the effects on driving ability has led to far more accidents.

The rare occasional use of marijuana has little effect on people, but the drug does lead to dependency. If people combine marijuana with tobacco smoking and alcohol on a regular basis this has more often led to the use of even more dangerous drugs.

Those who are dependant on the heavier drugs leads to a greater deterioration of the brain and limbs, particularly the legs meaning that abusers need a greater amount of medical attention and also the use of electric wheel chairs to get around. A far greater drain on the NHS.

It is also very easy to grow marijuana - those who have been doing so for many years have discovered how to increase the active ingredient in the substance. The marijuana of today is a lot stronger strain than was available ten years ago. Medical Examiner.

Would you agree that drugs should be legalised, or that only marijuana should be legalised - or should the UK not apply any management to the situation and leave it as it is with back alley dealing?

[Ceam]

What do you think?

Personally I don't think it should be legalized as a recreational drug. As a medication where it shows merits in improving peoples lives, then yes.

[Toodles McGinty]

I believe that all hard drugs should be legalised and controlled by the government. I'd wager that the vast majority of crime committed in this country and internationally is due to drugs being solely in the hands of criminals. I believe that most of us who have been victims of crime have been so due to criminals being drug addicts. I also reckon that the cost to the country due to drug related crime is far more than it would be to the NHS should the medical profession start dispensing such drugs. Less people in the prison system etc. They already dispense methadone. And support might be given to addicts once they are in the system. I'm not advocating selling hard drugs in corner shops, but rather adopting a method closer to that in the Netherlands.

As for cannabis, I'd legalise that medicinally and recreationally. Both CBD oil and THC have as yet unknown health benefits. CBD is legal, but only in very low doses. I doubt 'Big Pharma' would be too keen, they prefer 'just keep you alive' to 'here's a real quality of life' arrangement.

Again, cannabis should be regulated. Just as alcohol is regulated. You can't just set up your own still and make 100% proof spirits, but you can brew your own beer. Recreational cannabis use should be limited to strains that cause, at worst, relaxation and the munchies. Not Skunk type plants that turn people into zombies.

[seivad]

In the USA - some states have legalised the use of certain drugs. Canada is in the progress of making that decision at this present time. Should the UK legalise such drugs?

That should be in the singular, for both the US & Canada... drug.

Medicinal cannabis has been legal in Canada since 2001. The bill to legalise recreational cannabis has been in the Senate since last November. It was forecast to be rolled out this Summer, but I can't see it happening until much later.

I agree with Toodles.

[said]

[QUOTE=Toodles McGinty;6630624]I believe that all hard drugs should be legalised and controlled by the government.

If drugs are legalised and controlled by the Government, there will be fixed prices, including the taxes that the Government will be charging. There will still be illegal drug deals maintained by the suppliers and they will be seeking to undercut those prices. Those who engage in crime to support their need for the drugs will still be looking for money to finance their needs.

The Netherlands are under the same rules as the UK. Namely The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 which is an international treaty to prohibit production and supply of specific (nominally narcotic) drugs and of drugs with similar effects except under licence for specific purposes, such as medical treatment and research. So the government are unable to legally produce large volumes of drugs. Consequently - there will still be a market for the illegal Cannabis farms.

The Netherlands have a huge number of problems. They allowed small cafes to be licensed to sell a limited amount of 'soft' drugs. There are more than 600 of these in the Netherlands alone. The effect has nearly destroyed the country - they have a huge number of tourists, drug tourists and they report a Costa Brava affect which is preventing other tourists from a pleasant stay and is costing outlets business. They did consider preventing all tourists from using the cafes, but realised that this would affect regular tourists and turn them away. In Amsterdam - the authorities went some way to closing coffee shops - those within a radius of so many square footage of schools. In Maastricht, the Mayor maintained the ban and stated "More than 1 million foreign tourists visiting the city’s 13 licensed coffee shops every year has created “an unacceptable nuisance,” and brought filth and crime to the city."

The brewing of Alcohol is as you say, legally controlled - but a huge explosion in Leicester in the last couple of weeks, in which five people died and a building was completely demolished was due to an illegal vodka still. A similar occurrence in 2015, in Norfolk was again due to an illegal still - meaning, it may be controlled, but people will abuse the system.

I would suggest that - as opposed to making illegal drug taking legal, which would introduce numerous problems without solving anything - I would bring in far stiffer rules, just as Poland has done. In Poland, anyone caught using illegal drugs is automatically put in prison - this should be the same here, anyone found with illegal drugs from the other EU countries should be deported to spend time in their own country's prisons. There should be a more thorough and stricter border controls across the UK.

[xroads]

Imagine the increase in the NSH bill if drugs were made legal.
Like the poster above, I would like harsher penalties for drug users.
But, I feel there isn't the will at top to change the status quo.
I would also like to see celebrities crucified for drug use.

[said]

Imagine the increase in the NSH bill if drugs were made legal.
Like the poster above, I would like harsher penalties for drug users.
But, I feel there isn't the will at top to change the status quo.
I would also like to see celebrities crucified for drug use.

Then again - perhaps it is the equivalent of a natural epidemic intended to keep the population down.

[Kempa]

There are some products which are already legal and e can easily buy it. There are even articles on ReadersDigest about the best cbd oils in the UK. The presence of such reviews shows the users' interest. Many of my fries are eager to try but they are newbies and they need help of proficient people.

[The PNP]

There are some products which are already legal and e can easily buy it. There are even articles on ReadersDigest about the best cbd oils in the UK. The presence of such reviews shows the users' interest. Many of my fries are eager to try but they are newbies and they need help of proficient people.

Gosh, just how many 'fries' have you brought into the world? Perhaps you had better refocus on current availability of birth-control products....

[grassroots]

No , they should Not be legalised, I cant believe we are even talking about the legalisation of substances that harm people .

[Derek H]

No , they should Not be legalised, I cant believe we are even talking about the legalisation of substances that harm people .

Sorry, but tobacco is legal and alcohol is legal. Don't they harm people?

[local]

In this new drug fuelled nirvana will addicts trundle up to Boots before or after work for their fix ?

They will of course put any offspring in care, refrain from anything that could endanger others and be regularly examined by their own Doctor who they have paid for.

We the tax payer will of course be asked if we are happy to take responsibility for the inevitable problems and be happy to cut our strained NHS budget to fund it.

Or better still have a real war on drugs paid for by those who use and distribute.

Rehab would be outsourced to the whichever far flung island bids the least for imprisoning both dealers and users.

[Alikado]

Imagine the increase in the NSH bill if drugs were made legal.
Like the poster above, I would like harsher penalties for drug users.
But, I feel there isn't the will at top to change the status quo.
I would also like to see celebrities crucified for drug use.

The will to change at the top isn't there because a substantial amount of them are / were users, when exposed ' Celebs' don't get crucified they get glorified unfortunately.

[Nashwan]

https://news.sky.com/story/professor...-drug-11909379


Lets demonise those who use drugs other than yours though eh?

[gazaprop]

Sorry, but tobacco is legal and alcohol is legal. Don't they harm people?

I agree but - how far should the definition of 'harm' stretch?
To the best of my knowledge legions of smokers or drinkers are not committing burglary and other kinds of thievery to fund their habits.
Nor are they shooting and knocking seven bells out of individuals over accounting and invoice errors.
Also drinkers and smokers go someway toward mitigating the harm they inflict upon society by paying the hefty amounts of duty levied against their poison of choice.
I think others have made out the argument for legalisation in that - if the stuff is going to be used HMG might as well make a few bob out of it.